Nature Conservancy to transfer 25,000 acres to state Monday

Land in Pittsburg, Clarksville a legacy for wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation

The Nature Conservancy will transfer a 25,000-acre natural area in Pittsburg and Clarksville to the state on Monday at 11 a.m., at the state house. This will be the state's largest land acquisition since the Nash Stream Forest purchase in 1988.Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and other officials, including Rep. Gene Chandler, of Bartlett, will sign papers to complete the transfer, which will leave New Hampshire with a lasting legacy for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.The 25,000-acre natural area is part of the 171,500-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwaters property, a public-private initiative to protect the largest contiguous block of New Hampshire land in private ownership. Chandler helped preserve the 171,500 acres of International Paper land for public access. "I think that was very important for the whole state," he said. "Generations to come are now guaranteed access for years to come... That might be the crown jewel of anything I've done in the legislature. I was on the front line from day one."Chandler said yesterday the partnership "is a good thing," and looks forward to the future of the land. "This is a big part with the Fish and Game's involvement," he said. "This was part of the deal from the beginning it keeps the land open to the public for fishing and hunting. There will still be some logging, but it will be managed specifically for wildlife habitat."On April 1, The Nature Conservancy announced that it had purchased 25,000 acres of the 171,500-acre Connecticut Lakes Headwaters property from the Trust for Public Land for $5.5 million to establish the largest natural area in New Hampshire's spectacular Connecticut Lakes region. The Conservancy has spent the past eight months working with the state to transfer the property to the Fish and Game Department subject to a conservation easement to be held by The Nature Conservancy that now assures the property will be managed in perpetuity for native biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and traditional recreation.This remarkable landscape, embedded within nearly 150,000 acres of working forest and other conservation lands, protects some of state's most important natural features rugged mountain peaks, remote ponds, lush wetlands, and rich lowland forests and sets us on a path to restore old growth to our Great North Woods, Daryl Burtnett, state director of The Nature Conservancy, said. We are extremely pleased to (have been) working with the Trust for Public Land, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and the State of New Hampshire to establish the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Natural Area.The Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Natural Area consists of three parcels totaling 25,000 acres; 15,000 acres will be managed solely as a nature preserve for biodiversity. The nature preserve, which will be free from timber harvesting, will over time develop the large old trees, abundant snags and cavities, thick moss mats, and special habitat features that are trademarks of the old growth forests that have almost entirely disappeared from New England. The remaining 10,000 acres will be a wildlife management area managed for the benefit of native animals, and where some timber harvesting will be conducted for the enhancement of wildlife habitat.The natural area features two great ponds and four remote, pristine ponds and their watersheds, more than 1,800 acres of diverse wetlands including rare and unique bogs and fens, and the entire watersheds of East Inlet and Scotts Brook. Moreover, the property provides more than 50 miles of undeveloped stream frontage and extensive high elevation areas including two mountain peaks Salmon Mountain and Mount Kent that rise over 3,000 feet. This protection effort provides habitat for a wide variety of neotropical migratory songbirds and waterfowl, including many species of conservation concern such as Common Loon, Pied-Billed Grebe, Spruce Grouse, Black-Backed Woodpecker, and Bicknells Thrush. Additionally it offers outstanding wildlife habitat for large and wide-ranging mammals including moose, deer, black bear, fisher, and the state-threatened American marten, and is well situated to offer refuge habitat should Canada Lynx return to the Granite State.The natural area will be open to the public for a variety of traditional recreational uses including hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, bird watching and other low-impact activities.